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LEXINGTON - Kentucky football’s 2019 preseason camp opens Aug. 2. To get you ready for the start of football season, we’re taking a position-by-position look at the roster. Up next in the series is the UK offensive line. You can also read previous installments in the series about the quarterbacks, defensive backs, running backs and special teams.

Projected starters: Former U.S. Army All-American recruits Drake Jackson (6-foot-2, 312 pounds, junior), Landon Young (6-foot-7, 321 pounds, junior) and Darian Kinnard (6-foot-5, 325 pounds, sophomore) are projected to start at center, left tackle and right tackle, respectively, and 2020 NFL draft prospect Logan Stenberg (6-foot-6, 321 pounds, senior) returns at left guard. Young, the only five-star recruit on UK’s roster, missed all of last season with a torn ACL. Jackson and Stenberg were both named third-team preseason All-SEC by the league media. Add in new No. 1 right guard Luke Fortner (6-foot-6, 305 pounds, junior), who has played extensively as a backup the last two seasons, and Kentucky has quite the nucleus to build around up front.

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OT Landon Young during the University of Kentucky Spring blue-white football game at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky on Friday, April 12, 2019. (Photo: Mike Weaver/Special to Courier Journal)

Other returning players: UK offensive line coach John Schlarman has used an eight- or nine-man rotation on the line to pave the way for Kentucky’s vaunted rushing attack the last three years, but he will need to break in some new players into that group if the Wildcats’ line is to be as deep this season. Tackle Naasir Watkins (6-foot-5, 302 pounds, sophomore) and guard Mason Wolfe (6-foot-6, 323 pounds, senior) both played in 11 games last year and could push for starting spots on the right side of the line, but the rest of the second-team unit is relatively inexperienced.

Important losses: It’s a sign of just how impressive the work Schlarman has put into building an SEC-caliber offensive line that the Wildcats could lose a first-team All-American guard (Bunchy Stallings), New York Giants draft pick (George Asafo-Adjei) and highly touted transfer from Southern Cal (E.J. Price) and still field a first-team offensive line as impressive as this one. Price’s departure at left tackle with two years of eligibility remaining is eased by Young’s return — Young was the projected starter there before his injury — but the replacing of the entire right side of the line might be more difficult.

“We’ve got to have them play at a very high level like we had last year at those two spots,” Schlarman told the Courier Journal this spring. “That’s what I’ve been reinforcing to them. It’s like, ‘Listen, Darian, I know you’ve not even been here one year yet, but I’m asking you to play like a guy we just lost who was a four-year starter and a senior.’ That’s what they’ve got to understand.

"Same with Luke: ‘Bunchy played at a very good level last year. So, you’re not coming in replacing a guy that was a senior that did OK. You’re coming in and replacing a guy that was first-team All-SEC. We’ve got to expect a high level of play out of you.’”

Addition to watch: It’s difficult to imagine a scenario where either of Kentucky’s 2019 offensive line signees play outside of a late cameo in a blowout this season, but West Jessamine graduate Eli Cox (6-foot-4, 308 pounds, freshman) did participate in spring practice after enrolling in January. UK lists him as an offensive guard on the roster, but he was also projected to play some center as a recruit. That’s one spot where depth might be a question in the event of injury to Jackson or Wilson.

Under the radar: Given the accolades of his fellow starters, Fortner is easy to overlook, but his experience and versatility should be key in Kentucky’s ability to replace Stallings and Asafo-Adjei. Fortner played in 11 games in 2018 and eight games in 2017. He has experience at multiple spots along the line and is on track to graduate in December with a degree in mechanical engineering, so he seems well equipped to handle the mental challenges of playing the position as well.

Camp questions: Like most positions on the Kentucky roster, there are important starters to replace on the offensive line. Thanks to the returning talent and depth there, it’s difficult to muster the same amount of angst about that turnover as the holes among the defensive backs, outside linebackers or wide receivers though.

Still, there are questions to be answered. After fully participating in spring practice, is Young ready to move past his injury and content for All-SEC honors? Can Stenberg avoid penalties that have too often held him back? Are Fortner, Kinnard, Wolfe and Watkins capable of matching Stallings' and Asafo-Adjei's play? Are the redshirt freshmen ready to contribute?

Hey #BBN! If you bleed blue, you just found your new home. Guided by fans and supported by the Courier Journal's beat reporters, we're here to give a behind-the-scenes look at the team and chat about what's on your mind.